So, what other options are there?

The most creative option I’ve seen yet (though not for everyone) was a parent who carefully saved the decorative wrapping from their “Who Gives a Crap” toilet paper and used them for children’s presents. Not ready to take that leap? You don’t have to.

We’ve compiled some creative wrapping ideas that save on money and paper, without having Aunt Mable give you ‘that look’. Some are more suited to presents given in your own household or for kids, but there are options to suit everyone.

• Child-decorated bags: We save any brown paper bags we receive over the year, and any time we need to give a present, we give our son crayons or stickers to decorate one. It’s personalised and saves on cards, as you can write a message on the side.
• Kinder art: Not sure what to do with the endless stream of ‘art’ coming home from day care, kinder or school? Now you don’t have to! Save it for wrapping presents so that your child can show off their art to others and they never need to see you throw their precious creations in the bin.
• Tea-towels and sheets: Use a nice tea towel or sheet, using ribbon or twine to keep it in place. At home, it might be a fabric you already own, but if you’re giving to someone outside the family you can often buy them from an opportunity shop for under a dollar. Or arrange a ‘travelling present wrap’ that looks beautiful and gets given back and forth between friends.
• Christmas bag, sack, or stocking: We have a giant fabric ‘gift bag’ with a draw-string ribbon that’s reused for our son for Christmas and birthdays, allowing for several presents to fit inside at once. The bonus is that it’s easier for his 4-year-old fingers to open, allowing him the added joy of independent present-opening.
• Box it up: At this time of year, discarded boxes are everywhere, as people hurriedly unpack their stock or ship their gifts. Find a plain one, and seal it up. To jazz it up, put a ribbon on top or decorate it.
• Treasure hunt: This option adds enormous joy for kids on Christmas day and means using no wrapping at all! Simply hide the presents and let your child(ren) loose. If you have several children, it might be useful to hide different presents in different rooms. Alternatively, you can have them ‘follow the string’ to a present cache.
• Nothing at all: I know it’s a little late in the year for this one, but this Christmas is a great time for the family to discuss Christmas next year. My adult siblings and I have made some agreements: No gifts for each other, only for the kids and the grandparents. It’s hard to buy for adults and so much gift waste occurs when unwanted presents are discarded. If you want to buy for each other, you’ll still have birthdays where you can take your time for each person and really consider their wants and needs.

Remember that people notice your wrapping far less than you notice it. If appearances matter, hand-made options tend to make others feel special. Personally, I abdicate responsibility for wrapping to my son where possible, figuring that no one will judge a toddler’s efforts.

Looking for more eco-tips? Endeavour’s Eco-Living course takes you beyond Christmas into the day-to-day, helping to minimise waste and live a more sustainable life.

Article written by Sue Sharpe.

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